Conflict at St. James - speed limit change draws complaints

Resident complaints center on the decision to lower the posted speed limit along sections of St. James Drive from 30 to 20 mph.

By C. Russell ClarkBreakingNews@StarNewsOnline.com

Conflict has arisen in the suburban community of St. James Plantation between the property owners association board and some residents over recent board decisions including lowering speed limits in the subdivision.St. James Plantation is the master-planned subdivision that makes up the majority of the town of St. James. Incorporated in 1999, it is a few miles from Southport on the Brunswick County coast and serves predominately as a gated retirement community.Resident complaints center on the decision to lower the posted speed limit along sections of St. James Drive, the main road for the subdivision, from 30 to 20 mph. Roads in the subdivision are private and therefore maintained, controlled and monitored by the POA.St. James Mayor Robert Morrow was frustrated with the conflict but had no comment except to state that neither the town nor the state had any control over roads or speed limits set within St. James Plantation.According to information provided by Gordon Corlew, president of the POA board, the decision to lower the speed limit was made following a study of area roads by the traffic engineering division of Davenport, a transportation consulting firm. The study cost the POA $7,500 and was commissioned following resident complaints about high speeds, according to a list of frequently asked questions the POA board issued to residents. It stated the study recommended increasing speed limits in several areas while also making the now-controversial change on St. James Drive.One St. James Plantation resident displeased with with the speed change and POA board handling of resident complaints is Jack Carpenter, who has spoken before a POA members meeting and spoken out to local media to express his frustration.“Why spend thousands of dollars to do this with no record of accidents on this key road to the plantation?” Carpenter asked. “I’ve been 13 years in the community. I’m retired and never had issues until this started several months ago.”Carpenter is among roughly 1,000 people -- 80 percent of the area residents, by his estimation -- who signed a petition asking the POA board to reverse the change in speed limit on St. James Drive.Carpenter was upset not only with the speed limit change but in general with what he called “secrecy” by the members of the POA board, citing numerous complaints including POA denial to make the Davenport report available to residents except to view in-person at their headquarters.“As a member of the property owners association that pays my dues, I should be able to go and get a copy of the report,” Carpenter said. “It didn’t matter how many signatures we got, they just pointed to that report and said this would be done for safety reasons regardless.”The FAQ on the decision provided by Corlew cites the study’s findings and the safety of residents visiting their mailboxes on St. James Drive as the primary reasons for the change acknowledges the reduction would result in an extra minute of drive time along the stretch.Former St. James Mayor Shelley Lesher is also frustrated with the POA and the security team it employs – not for the speed limit change, but for recently expelling a TV news team from the community as it was filming a story on the decision and resulting resident petition.“As with any community this size we are going to have debates and discussions. We are no different, and it is a matter of free speech,” Lesher said. “Residents have every right to ask whoever they want to come and join the discussion on these issues.”